The mustard team are pleased to unveil their status as B Corp, officially joining the growing community of accredited B corporations across the world. Becoming one of 2000+ businesses in the UK, with a shared vision for the future.
The rigorous process covers all areas of the business including Governance, Workers, Customers, Environment and Community. The Bristol-based creative recruitment agency have painstakingly assessed their impact and are committed to providing a better future for not only their clients and employees but also their community. They’ll be returning to this impact report year-on-year to assess their impact and identify areas of improvement. Providing key insight into their practices, as they strive to hit their enhanced sustainability goals of net-zero by 2030, 20 years ahead of the UK government’s SME net-zero goals.
They’ve already levelled up their community commitments, from increased volunteering allowances to fundraising for their Charity of the Year, The Grand Appeal in aid of Bristol Children’s Hospital.
The B Corp certification provides businesses with comprehensive, credible, comparable impact standards to support economic systems change. Founded in 2006, to support businesses to lead the way towards a new, stakeholder-driven model.
Directors of mustard hope that this spotlight on the recruitment agency will encourage others in the sector to aim for more transparency and accountability.
“We’re delighted to become a B Corp, it’s been a long process, but a needed one. We’re continually striving for higher standards throughout the business. The whole team are extremely excited to be listed amongst like-minded businesses that are taking steps towards positive change.”
– Dave Madden, Director, mustard jobs
UWE Bristol will host Showcase, its annual degree show, next month, offering visitors the opportunity to discover a new generation of talent from the College of Arts, Technology and Environment.
More than 1200 students from over 40 courses will exhibit their work at Bower Ashton, Arnolfini, Spike Island and the university’s Frenchay Campus from Thursday 6 until Wednesday 12 June.
An annual highlight for the university and the city of Bristol, members of the public are invited to attend the free in-person exhibitions which will include a selection of undergraduate and postgraduate work from animation, architecture, art, creative technologies, design, engineering, fashion, filmmaking, media, performance, photography, product design and writing.
Elena Marco, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Arts, Technology and Environment said: “We are thrilled to share our students’ work publicly and give them the chance to demonstrate their ingenuity and creativity to a wider audience. This is a critical point in their careers, and they should be proud of everything they have achieved so far.”
Further information on the Showcase is listed below:
UWE Bristol Frenchay Campus:
A public opening night takes place on Thursday 6 June, with student work from architecture, product design, creative technologies and engineering on display at R Block, The Foundry and Z Block between 18:00 and 21:00. Registration is required – to book visit Eventbrite.
The Frenchay Campus Degree Show continues, featuring work from architecture, product design and engineering on:
UWE Bristol City Campus:
On Friday 7 June an exclusive private preview evening (by invitation only) will take place across the University’s City Campus – at Bower Ashton, Arnolfini and Spike Island – featuring the work of graduating students from art, design, animation, fashion, media, writing, performance, photography, and filmmaking.
The City Campus exhibitions open fully to the public on Saturday 8 June (no need to book). Opening times are:
For those who can’t make it in person, a digital showcase launches on 3 June and features exciting work from hundreds of graduating students from 40 programmes. Designed to celebrate new talent and support professional practice, enterprise and employability, each graduate has curated their own portfolio with links to their own sites and social channels.
More information on the Showcase is available on the UWE Bristol website.
mustard jobs have unveiled new plans to support the local community, through charity fundraising and volunteering practices. As part of this redefined commitment to charities and the wider community, they’ve announced a partnership with the well-loved Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.
mustard have appointed a charity committee to lead the charge, whom will be responsible for all fundraising and volunteering activities. Supporting and empowering staff and clients to get involved and make an impact.
As a Recruitment Agency for the Creative Industries, they’ll be getting creative with the fundraisers that they put together. With a top-secret stash of ideas up their sleeve, all will soon be revealed.
“We’re taking mustard’s charity and volunteering contributions to the next level. Working with Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal is extremely exciting, not only for our committee but for the entire business.
We hope this charity of the year partnership with The Grand Appeal, will help to provide sick children and their families with the support they need. It’s an honour to be working with them.”
Phil Boshier, Associate Director of People & Culture
Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal is the official Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, that helps save the lives of sick children and supports their families. Being a stone’s throw from the mustard office, and with a large proportion of the staff having young kids, supporting Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal was a no-brainer for the team.
“We’re thrilled to have the support of mustard. Our charity partnership means we can work together towards a brighter future for the children and families at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the generosity of brilliant Bristol businesses like mustard, we can fund everything from life-saving equipment to free accommodation for families, medical research, and so much more.”
– Helen Haskell, Head of Fundraising (Corporate)
Bristol Creative Industries is thrilled to launch a partnership with The Early Careers Foundation (ECF), a social mobility charity that works with young people from low-income backgrounds across the country, to ensure that talent and hard work are what determine their career success, not background.
Social inequality is a huge problem in the UK, with family wealth at birth (not IQ, race, or gender) still the most accurate predictor of future financial success. The Early Careers Foundation is committed to ensuring that talent, not background, is what determines a young person’s career success.
One of the Foundation’s initiatives is its Mentoring Programme, which pairs employees from corporate partner organisations with 16-18-year-olds from the organisation’s school partners for monthly hour-long mentoring sessions.
Thanks to this new partnership, we’re thrilled that Bristol Creative Industries members can volunteer to be a mentor to one of these high potential young people using the Foundation’s expertly designed resources to support building their confidence, developing their employability skills and offering invaluable professional guidance.
The Foundation does the leg work – covering the cost of your enhanced DBS check, running comprehensive training sessions and providing expertly designed resources to structure each session – so that the only ‘eligibility’ criteria is that you are enthusiastic, happy to share learnings from your own professional experience and crucially, committed to at least 10 months of mentoring sessions.
Mentor applications open on 2 April and close on 1 August. You can get started TODAY. Read through the ECF Mentor Prospectus Flyer (2024-25) and apply directly through this link (this can also be found at the bottom of the prospectus).
Please note that you need to be a Bristol Creative Industries member to take advantage of this exciting opportunity. If you’re not a member, join today.
Weston College is a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Centre for Excellence (1 of 4 in the whole UK) and a Queen’s Anniversary Prize winner for our outstanding inclusive practice. Within easy reach of Bristol and Somerset, located in North Somerset – you have access to a huge pool of untapped talent.
These accolades highlight that we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise which we’re keen to share with employers. Through Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia and Mental Health Toolkits to Neurodiversity training and Conscious Inclusion workshops; Weston College is here to support all employers with attracting, retaining and investing in new talent.
Into work helps 16-24 year old’s find a sustainable route into employment that may have not be easily accessible due to many factors. Students With Special Educational Needs And/Disabilities want to work but are limited with options. Proving employers with the support, training and toolkits will not only open doors for young adults out of work but drive forward your ED&I goals.
Financial support is available for employers who take on someone with a disability through Access to Work and every learner will be supported by a trained Job Coach to ease interaction, transition and expectations.
The young person will be working for you, for free with the hope that you see the immediate benefits to opening your talent pool. Not only will it reduce recruitment costs but will improve reputation, benefit each employee and your retention rates will improve. 20% of the UK customer database have a disability, open up your doors to a a productive, motivated and effective team.
To talk through how you can support a young person into employment, get in touch today by contacting [email protected]
A new skills training programme to support creatives looking to break into behind-the-camera roles on scripted film and high-end TV productions made in the West of England will launch later this month.
It comes after Bristol City Council’s Film Services have secured almost £300,000 (£299,818) from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, to deliver an industry-led West of England Film & High-End TV Workforce Development Programme to help creatives make their impact and find new career opportunities.
Delivered by The Bottle Yard Studios, Bristol UNESCO City of Film and Bristol Film Office – the three departments that make up Bristol City Council’s Film Services – the year-long programme will be open to regional participants from backgrounds currently underrepresented in the industry. Tailored training will demystify the world of scripted production and prepare trainees for entry level crew positions, with the aim of strengthening the pipeline of diverse local crew talent.
The investment comes at an important time of continued growth in the West of England’s film and high-end TV sector, with an estimated 21,000 new crew forecast to be needed across the UK by 2025.*
Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who leads the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “The West of England is fast becoming the Hollywood of the UK. Only recently, huge names like Disney+ have checked in to The Bottle Yard Studios’ new state-of-the-art and West of England Mayoral Authority-funded TBY2 facility – that’s a massive vote of confidence in our world-leading creative industries. But to keep up the pace, we need to tap into the extraordinary wealth of creative talent we have in the West. That means supporting them with world-class training to create that new home-grown creative generation for the sector.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be launching this programme fully funded by the Mayoral Combined Authority I lead, to give West of England residents the opportunities they need to thrive in film and high-end TV – something the West does so well. It gives a platform to the next generation of talent who will shape our region’s bright creative future. So, to those considering a career in film and TV: I want to hear from you!”
Councillor Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor of Bristol with responsibility for City Economy Finance & Performance said: “It’s brilliant to see Bristol’s thriving film and TV sector in the spotlight once again and we are delighted to secure funding to further support this vital industry, as well as the talented people who bring Bristol’s creative sectors to life.
“Bristol remains a world-leading hub for film and TV production, with some the industry’s biggest names choosing our city to produce their shows. Bristol’s new state-of-the-art film studio, The Bottle Yard’s TBY2 facility, has already played host to some of the UK’s most exciting productions since opening its doors in 2022 supported by £12 million in funding. However, as the sector continues to go from strength to strength, more targeted investment into training and developing the next generation of homegrown production talent is becoming increasingly necessary. This industry-led development programme will tap into the deep pool of creative talent here in the West Country and open new career pathways to underrepresented groups who may never have had the opportunity to take their first steps into this fast-growing sector.”
Laura Aviles, Head of Film, Bristol City Council says: “We’ve long made the case that targeted skills investment for scripted crew in our region is essential if we’re to develop this often-overlooked segment of the screen workforce. Film and high-end TV production levels in Bristol and the West have been increasing steadily in past years, supported by The Bottle Yard’s expansion and the region’s Film Offices facilitating more productions on location. With this success comes the opportunity to grow our local talent base – which is crucial when the existing crew base hits capacity, something we anticipate as we move on from last year’s US writers and actors strikes. We are delighted to have secured this funding to deliver a programme designed to help local entrants understand and navigate the fast-paced world of production they are not yet familiar with, to support them in identifying the right opportunities and having the confidence to step into industry roles that suit their talents and ambitions.”
Natalie Moore, Bristol UNESCO City of Film Manager, says: “Developing a local skills pipeline for scripted crew is a key priority in our Bristol UNESCO City of Film Action Plan. Opening up opportunities for regional talent from a wide range of backgrounds makes for a more sustainable and resilient industry base. With so many career opportunities that can and should be made available to people living within the region, we want to make access routes into the film and TV industry easier to navigate and provide support to build a more diverse local workforce. This programme will create a clear pathway to help underrepresented talent from Bristol and the West into scripted production careers, demystifying the industry and preparing them for employment with the right level of support and guidance.”
The programme, which is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will feature a series of sessions repeated for three intakes throughout 2024, including a ‘Get to Know the Industry’ webinar, an Industry Induction Day at The Bottle Yard Studios, and a specially designed 5-week training scheme to equip potential new entrants for a career in film and high-end TV production. Training will focus on confidence-building, set etiquette and work-readiness, communication skills and teamwork, wellbeing and resilience, as well as digital and financial literacy and how to find work as a freelancer.
The programme will aim to engage up to 750 people in total across its different strands of activity, with a view to 45 undertaking the 5-week training course that will equip them to go on to get jobs. Those who complete the full training will be added to a New Entrants Portfolio given to film and high-end TV productions filming in the region.
The programme will also launch a digital New Entrants Hub, designed to signpost anyone in the West of England interested in a career in film or high-end TV to useful resources, training and development opportunities that are relevant to the region.
Applications will be invited from residents of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire aged 17 and above**. Underrepresented target groups will include young people aged 17-25**, those not in education, employment or training, under-employed people and those on zero-hour contracts, women, people from the global majority, disabled people, people living with mental health issues, carers and care leavers. An Access Fund will be provided to support any participants who face a financial barrier to taking part.
The West of England Film & High-End TV Workforce Development Programme has been devised following recommendations of the BFI Skills Review (June 2022) and Olsberg’s Workforce Development Report commissioned by Bristol City Council and The Bottle Yard Studios (July 2023). The first call for applications will open in January 2024.
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is working in partnership with Bristol City Council’s Film Services (comprising The Bottle Yard Studios, Bristol UNESCO City of Film and Bristol Film Office) to deliver the Mayoral Priority Skills Fund. This fund provides flexible grants to meet current priority skills gaps in the region. This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Upcoming productions recently filmed in Bristol and the West of England include Jilly Cooper adaptation Rivals (Disney+), series three of spy thriller Alex Rider (Amazon FreeVee), series three of Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws (BBC/Amazon Prime Video), comedy drama Boarders (BBC Three), teen crime thriller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (BBC Three) and series five of children’s drama Malory Towers (CBBC). Titles currently in production in the region include Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC/Masterpiece PBS) and romantic comedy The Road Trip (Paramount+).
B2B and corporate PR and communications specialists, AMBITIOUS is closing 2023 by celebrating two new strategic hires and seven new business wins to round off a year of solid growth for the firm.
With the agency expanding to 27 staff and on track to meet its £1.65 million revenue target, AMBITIOUS has secured its position as one of the largest independent PR agencies in Bristol and the Southwest.
Sarah Woodhouse, Director, AMBITIOUS, said: ‘This year we’ve seen the same challenges as other agencies with a lag between briefs being awarded and work then starting but we’ve had a strong new business pipeline. The ink has dried on seven new contracts in the last quarter of this year alone and together with strong client retention, puts us in a strong position for 2024.”
Based on Oakfield Road in Clifton, the agency has grown from strength to strength with new retained clientsincluding Tunstall Healthcare Group, GlobalGiving UK, Harley Row Clinic, and a short project with UCAS.
Further growth also came from the agency’s existing client base expanding their remit.
Sarah Woodhouse explains, “CEOs are striving to build trust signals with customers and prospects, driving up the need for third-party endorsement. We’re seeing growth from organisations that want to build understanding and earn these trust signals from a range of audiences – and we have a key role in driving these strategic communications. We’ve also seen uptake for our work supporting companies to integrate their marketing and PR efforts.”
AMBITIOUS has made two key hires since September, in addition to four hires made earlier this year. Maria Dickson joins as Marketing Director, a newly created role signalling the agency’s commitment to more integrated campaign activations. She’ll also be leading the agency’s marketing strategy as it looks to expand. Chloe Tonkin also joins as a senior PR consultant and copywriter to support the firm’s growth.
With over 12 years of experience working in award-winning communications agencies and most recently leading all national marketing and social media for Girlguiding, Maria Dickson is a seasoned marketer. Having led UK and global agency teams across consumer, pharma and not-for-profit sectors she has extensive experience in developing and implementing integrated strategies. Her career includes roles at Pegasus (now Evoke Mind + Matter) and Edelman, working with clients such as GSK, Bayer and EIT Health. For the last four years, she led all marketing and campaigns at Girlguiding, including a new brand rollout – the largest in the organisation’s 113 year history.
Chloe Tonkin has over ten years working agency-side across B2C and B2B-focused sectors, in both the UK and New Zealand. Her experience spans technology, FMCG, healthcare, and beyond. She’s worked on campaigns for big-name clients including Samsung, American Express, HSBC, Specsavers, and Unilever. Her primary area of expertise is in traditional earned PR and media relations, but she also has extensive experience in running influencer programmes for clients like Samsung and Dove.
Lis Anderson, Founder & Director, AMBITIOUS, said: “We’re excited to grow our team again this year and welcome Maria and Chloe into the fold. They each bring a wealth of experience to complement our existing team, ensuring that we can deliver the best possible service to clients as we look ahead to 2024.”
“Ensuring we have a happy and healthy team is of utmost importance to us. We’re proud of our growing team and a record of 3.5 years with no staff attrition – a testament to our team culture. We’re excited about the year ahead.”
Interested in working for or with AMBITIOUS? Please email Sarah or Lis at [email protected]
With three decades of recruitment and coaching experience under our belts, we know the value of networking. And it doesn’t always have to mean donning a name tag and speaking to strangers. From virtual networking events and talks, to professional working groups and meet ups: here’s our guide to finding the best UK networking groups for creatives.
Networking is arguably important for any career. But for creatives, and particularly freelance and contract workers: building a network of good contacts is essential. Creative sector work thrives on collaboration – no marketing campaign or social media strategy is the work of a single brilliant mind. Industry leaders like Architectural Digest, The Society of British Interior Designers (SBID) and Forbes all champion networking for creative careers. And we quite agree, here’s a few reasons why:
Networking used to mean going to a conference or trade event. And those events still have their place. But there are lots of different types of groups you can join for regular events, informal meet ups, job opportunities and support:
Professional Membership Associations: For regular events, training, mentorship and webinars it might be worth joining a professional membership organisation like IPSE (for self-employed professionals), CIPR for PR professionals and Charity Comms for communications professionals working with charities. Some events and resources are free or ticketed for non-members too, so it’s worth checking them out, even if you don’t want to join up.
Online Networking Groups: These types of networking platforms and groups are ideal for job opportunities, finding collaborators, resources and general support. Some of the main groups include The Dots, Hive Collective, and Yuno Juno.
Digital Creative Communities: These types of online groups are focused more on peer support, and knowledge-sharing rather than professional opportunities. So if you want to ask questions, ask for advice or exchange ideas and thoughts on the creative industry – check out organisations like Creative UK, The Design Hub, Women in Technology and Code Untapped. Many digital communities also focus on underrepresented groups, and can help provide a safe space to discuss industry challenges too.
Meetup Groups and Events: Perfect for people who prefer casual and informal networking over corporate events. Meetups are great for getting to know your peers, finding collaborators and sometimes even mentors. Regular creative industry meetups include Copywriters Unite,a regular pub meet up in London, Manchester, Leeds, and Bristol.There are plenty of opportunities for designers too. Dribble Meetups are an international design community with events all over the UK from casual coffee shop chats to large-scale events. Other groups include The Marketing Meetup (virtual and in-person), Sheffield DM, and The Marketing Social in Liverpool.
The pandemic has shifted the way we network. But there are some important advantages to these shifts. Virtual networking is more accessible for creatives with medical conditions, disabilities, carers or anyone else who might otherwise miss out. Joining via Zoom, Teams or Google Meet also takes the pressure off for many neurodivergent creatives, and other people who don’t enjoy attending large events. But is there an appetite to get back to in-person networking? That depends on who you ask.
According to a study by Handshake, 67% of Gen Z respondents no longer believe they need to have in-person interactions to form meaningful professional connections. But given the sheer number of networking and industry events listed across the UK being advertised – it’s clear that creative professionals still want to meet away from screens. And according to the Skills and Education Group, in person networking has made a welcome return.
Networking can be a great way to find other people in your industry in your region. Most big cities and regions have regular networking events or groups. London, Bristol and Manchester all have thriving networking groups for creatives that hold regular in person and online events.
In London, major events include DigiMarCon – a two day digital marketing and media and advertising conference which takes place in September. Creative co-working spaces like Second Home run regular events programmes (and co-working is a great opportunity for informal networking in general). There are also regular events listed on Eventbrite, and meetups like Copywriters Unite.
But there’s plenty going on outside of the capital. In the south west, membership organisation Bristol Creative Industries is driven by a belief that creatives can achieve more collectively than alone.
As well as in-person and online networking events, workshops and talks – the organisation also connects members with jobs via its directory and jobs board and encourages collaboration across the region. Bristol, for example, is also home to several other networking groups including The Square, We Mean Biz, and the film professionals’ group South West Talent Connect.
Manchester has a thriving creative networking culture. Like Bristol, it’s a growing hub for creative talent, home to BBC studios, tech companies, and creative agencies. One of the biggest networking groups in the area is the Shout Network, which is a north-west wide business networking organisation. Connected North is also a huge regional event with keynote speakers from digital leaders which launched in 2022. There are also several meet-up groups in Manchester including The Marketing Meetup.
Aside from doing a quick google search, there are plenty of places to find in person and online networking groups for your discipline or interest. Social media networks like Facebook or LinkedIn are a great place to start. Over on Facebook you’ll find Freelance PRs, Creative Networking, Founders Freelancers and Rebels and Noi Club for jobs and opportunities in marketing, PR, digital and social.
On LinkedIn you can find groups including the Copywriter Network Group, UK Marketing + Communications, and Marketing, PR, Media and Digital Jobs and Career Opportunities Network. For digital and tech networking and professional opportunities there are lots of communities on Slack including freelance platform YunoJuno , non-profit digital network Digital Charities and tech community UK Tech.
For general information, start with an online search or use event listing sites to filter between in person and event type. But if you’re looking for a specific discipline or type of working group, here are a few that host regular online and in-person events:
https://www.creativeequals.org/
Aimed at: Creatives and organisations who want to make the industry more diverse and inclusive
Types of networking: (IRL and online events)
Creative Equals is a consultancy focusing on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) consultancy and it runs regular in-person and online events including workshops, talks and the RISE: For Creativity conference.
https://creativemornings.com/
Aimed at: Global creatives
Types of networking (IRL and virtual meetups)
Creative Mornings began in New York in 2014 with a simple concept: free breakfast and a short talk for creatives one Friday morning a month. It’s since spread across the word with live networking events and talks in the various chapters including Cardiff, London, Derby and Edinburgh. Regular online networking events include Virtual Field Trips, which include themes such as job search tips, building content strategy and communicating ideas.
Aimed at: What the acronym stands for: People of colour navigating the creative industry
PoCC is a creative members network for creative professionals of colour designed to drive cultural shifts in their industries. It offers a mix of WhatsApp groups as well as networking and talks.
https://ladieswinedesign.com/
Aimed at: Women and non-binary creatives
Types of networking (IRL and virtual meet ups)
The global non-profit is aimed at addressing the statistic that only 0.1% of creative agencies are founded by women and non-binary people. Ladies, Wine, and Design has chapters in several UK towns and cities including Cheltenham, Ipswich, Southampton, Sheffield and London and hosts a mix of online and in-person events
It’s too early to say how networking in the UK creative industries will change in the future. But there are some clues to be found within recruitment and employment. Just as we’ve seen work shift towards a mix of office based, remote-first and hybrid, the same can be said for networking.
Another positive shift worth noting is that there are a growing number of networking groups focused on community, inclusion and driving change. One thing is clear: creative people need each other. And they will always gravitate towards finding support and connection.
On 24 November, we celebrated the first group of interns who took part in the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme with Babbasa as part of the OurCity2030 Pathway into Creative & Tech.
We had a wonderful night celebrating everyone’s achievements over the past six months. The graduation event, at the Gather Round co-working space in Bristol, brought together the brilliant interns plus many of the programme contributors, friends and family to reflect on the successes and learnings from the scheme.
We launched the programme earlier this year. It is aimed at young people aged 18-24 from diverse backgrounds wanting to gain more insight and real experience in the creative industries.
Two of the biggest challenges facing the sector are a long-term skills shortage and a lack of workforce diversity. This was highlighted by Bristol Creative Industries’ A Creative Force to Be Reckoned With report which found that increasing diversity and inclusion is a significant priority for six in 10 creative firms in Bristol, but almost half said they want help finding diverse talent from underrepresented groups.
The internship programme was designed specifically to tackle those issues and create more inclusive workplaces. We were delighted that brilliant agencies from the BCI member community stepped up to provide three month placements to the 14 interns:
At the end of the first placement, three of the interns used the experience to explore other projects, while 11 stayed to undertake a second placement.
As the pilot programme comes to an end, here’s an update on how taking part in the initiative impacted on the interns and what they plan to do next:
Abdifatah Kheyre is going travelling for a while but has some exciting plans to launch a new project with a friend.
Abdur-Rahman Shafi has been offered a continuation at his first placement at Noble where he will be doing an internship extension, with the view for being promotion to digital marketing executive after six months.
Ahmed Ismail is considering his options in design and software development.
Amy Smith has been offered a role as production runner at Aardman on an upcoming project.
Kayjay McDonald-Ferguson is looking to continue with his freelancing projects in design and strategy and is set to start a bootcamp coding course.
Laurel Beckford has been working with Babbasa on the organisation’s social media campaigns and is looking for further work in film production and social media.
Mohd Wani has gone on to study an MA in information experience design at The Royal College of Art.
Omar Ibrahim has started a front-end web development bootcamp and will continue to study whilst trying to get more work experience. He is looking for a junior level role in front-end web development.
Priscilla Kodjo is staying on at her placement at Time Machine Designs as a freelance concept artist.
Sara Matloob has applied to study with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and hopes to build a career focused on public relations and the experiential sector.
Sophie Kirk is continuing to pursue her career in film and television art departments, with her improved graphic design skills opening up more opportunities for freelance work.
Seren Spooner was offered a job as a junior designer at Armadillo, her first placement.
Touka Mostafa led an EDI audit at one of her placements and delivered her findings to the board. She has recently accepted an account executive role at Armadillo, one of the participating agencies.
Yasmina El Khatib hopes to continue her education and study a modelmaking course with a focus on fabrication. For now, she is looking for a design and creative role to allow her to save for her masters.
We asked some of the interns to reflect on taking part in the programme.
”The programme helped me find myself, be a better human and chase my dreams.”
Abdifatah Kheyre“This internship really has made my dream career happen. The continued support throughout has been great. I have also made some friends that I will have for life.”
Amy Smith”I took many learnings from the experience, but above all I learnt the importance of being an active learner. In a work setting it is important that you can communicate with the different departments and not be afraid to ask for what you want. In both agencies I felt comfortable to be myself and felt listened to. I like that the internship was tailored to what I needed.”
Kayjay McDonald-Ferguson”Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t always a straight path, and I was never comfortable to put my hand up and say I want to learn more. But I have to say, I’m so glad I sat in the uncomfortable space for a little bit because I pushed past that point, I managed to develop and grow in so many different ways. ”
Touka Mostafa”I loved seeing how many agencies were interested in diversity and inclusion and I really enjoyed the networking opportunities that came with the internship programme. I also enjoyed learning new skills during our Friday sessions and watching all of the interns develop new skills that they’re proud of.”
Sara Matloob
For more from the interns, participating agencies and other who took part in the programme, watch this brilliant short film:
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The Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme is not possible without the fantastic agencies who take part and provide placements for the young people to gain valuable experience.
Here, some of the agencies reflect on their experiences:
“The best businesses need the best talent. The best talent is diverse. This programme has helped us collectively engage that talent.”
Nina Edmunds, Halo“We’ve always aspired to have an internship programme that promotes diversity and inclusion and encourages the community to open more doors, yet time and resources have been a barrier to achieving this. By joining forces with Bristol Creative Industries, Babbasa and other member agencies, we were able to make it happen.”
Lucy Rees, Newicon“Collaborating with peers from other participating creative agencies has been a great experience. It has allowed us to actively contribute to shaping the program while exchanging ideas and learning from one another, particularly in areas around HR, people & culture, and innovative working practices.”
Anthony Butterfield, Aer Studios“We wanted to be challenged in our DE&I efforts. We hoped this scheme would help us push forward on our learning and DE&I journey and it has done exactly that.”
Abigail Croft, Diva“Our intern was really keen to learn all the different roles within the agency and really engaged in everything she was doing. Seeing her confidence grow each week, so she was asking the right questions to allow her to execute the task in front of her was a real highlight. The fact we could see the talent was there enough to offer her a job shows what an impact she made, and that is the true highlight.”
Jeremy Bourton, Armadillo“This amazing opportunity provides a springboard for young people with a paid placement that can really make a difference to their professional development. On the other side of the coin, it’s made me a more rounded professional and helped me to evolve.”
Matt Woodman, Atomic Smash“The BCI Internship Programme is a golden opportunity to partner with community-facing organisations. It is a real opportunity to learn as well as teach, whilst being supporting by BCI who follow the interns through the whole process.”
Ceilia Hunt, Aardman Animations
All of the interns are now Bristol Creative Industries members. Please do reach out to them if you are looking for collaborations or for young people to fill junior roles. We will also be welcoming them to Bristol Creative Industries events in 2024, so you will get a chance to meet them.
We look forward to welcoming back the cohort as ambassadors for the programme in 2024 and to help inspire the next group of interns.
Conversations for the 2024 Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme have begun with Babbasa as part of the next OurCity2030 Pathway into Creative & Tech.
If you run a creative business in Bristol and are interested in hearing more about how to get involved, contact Bristol Creative Industries membership manager Alli Nicholas on [email protected]
Big thanks to @eljaybriss for the images.
The teams across mustard jobs are planning to rustle up as many long-life food, hygiene and sanitary products as possible. Last year’s foodbank donation was impressive, but this year we want to make it even bigger, that’s why we are enlisting the help of our local community.
We’re making this donation as easy as possible for anyone who is interested in taking part. Just pop to the mustard jobs office with your donations, we’ll list the address details at the bottom of this page. Then, we’ll put it in one of our collection box for safe keeping, until we do the big drop off at the foodbank. We’ll get everything delivered to the foodbank by our mustard team, so there is no stress for you or your team.
Whether you’ve got a little or a lot, anything will help.
We have a great relationship with the St Nicholas of Tolentino Foodbank and they’ve let us know what they need the most.
It’s time to step up and support those who find themselves in crisis this winter. If you’d like to donate, please deliver your donations to:
mustard jobs
The Tramshed, 25 Lower Park Row,
Bristol
BS1 5BN
If you have any questions or queries, feel free to reach out to the team on [email protected] | 0117 929 6060
Thank you.
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